Plumbing and drainage systems

an air bubble that stops liquid from flowing through a pipe

if a toilet, sink, or drain backs up, or if it is backed up, water cannot flow through it because something is blocking it

blockage (noun)

something that blocks a tube or pipe

carry (verb)

if a road, pipe, or wire carries something along it, that thing moves or flows along it

cesspit (noun)

a cesspool

clog (verb)

to block something such as a pipe, tube, or passage, or to become blocked, so that nothing can get through

conduit (noun)

a pipe or passage that water flows through to go from one place to another

culvert (noun)

a very wide pipe that carries water under a road or railroad line

cutoff (noun)

a part of a pipe that can be closed to stop a gas or liquid flowing

downspout (noun)

American a pipe on the side of a building that carries rain water down from the roof to the ground

drainage (noun)

the process of taking away water or waste liquid from somewhere

drainage (noun)

a system of pipes and passages that take away water or waste liquid from an area

drainpipe (noun)

a pipe that takes away waste water or liquid from inside a building

drainpipe (noun)

a pipe on the side of a building that carries rainwater down from the roof to the ground

the drains (noun)

a pipe or passage through which water or waste liquid flows away

the drains (noun)

the system of pipes and passages that take away water or waste liquid in a town or city

duct (noun)

a pipe or tube in a building that carries something such as air or protects wires

ducting (noun)

a system of ducts in a building

eavestrough (noun)

Canadian an open piece of pipe that is attached to the edge of a roof to carry rainwater away

faucet (noun)

American a metal piece of equipment that you turn to control the flow of water or other liquid from a pipe, especially on a sink or bathtub. The British word is tap.

freeze (verb)

if a pipe freezes, or if the weather freezes it, the water inside it becomes ice

fur up ()

if a pipe or container for water furs up or is furred up, it becomes covered inside with limescale (=a hard white substance)

gutter (noun)

an open piece of pipe that is attached to the edge of a roof to carry rain water away

interconnector (noun)

a pipeline that carries gas from one country to another

lagoon (noun)

British an artificial pool for waste water

main (noun)

a large pipe or wire used for carrying water, gas, or electricity

main (noun)

the point where the supply of water, gas, or electricity enters a building or room

the mains (noun)

British the public supply of water, gas, or electricity

on tap ()

if beer is on tap, it can be served from a large container with a tap, instead of from a bottle

outfall (noun)

the place where water or liquid waste flows out of a pipe

outflow (noun)

a flow of water, gas, etc. out of a pipe

outlet (noun)

a pipe or hole through which gas or liquid flows out

pipe (noun)

a tube that carries liquid or gas from one place to another

pipe (verb)

to send liquid or gas through a pipe from one place to another

pipeline (noun)

a long underground pipe that carries water, gas, etc. from one place to another

pipework (noun)

a set of pipes that carry water, gas, etc. around a building

plug (verb)

American to block pipes of a sink, toilet, etc. so that water or waste cannot flow normally down the pipes

plumb (verb)

to connect the water pipes in a room or building

plumbing (noun)

the job of fitting and repairing pipes, water tanks, and other equipment used for supplying and storing water

plumbing (noun)

the system of pipes, water tanks, and other equipment used for supplying and storing water in a building

plunge (verb)

American to push a plunger into a toilet, sink, or bathtub in order to stop a pipe from being blocked

running water (noun)

water that is supplied by pipes into a building

sanitary (adjective)

relating to people’s health, especially to the system of supplying water and dealing with human waste

sanitation (noun)

conditions and processes relating to people’s health, especially the systems that supply water and deal with human waste

S-curve (noun)

American a double curve in a road that forms a shape similar to an “s”

septic tank (noun)

a large container buried under the ground and used for collecting waste from toilets

sewage (noun)

waste substances, especially waste from people’s bodies, removed from houses and other buildings by a system of large underground pipes called sewers

sewer (noun)

an underground pipe or passage that carries sewage

sewerage (noun)

waste and used water that is carried away from buildings through passages and pipes

sewerage (noun)

a system of pipes and passages that carry sewage

sluice (noun)

a passage that water flows along, with a gate called a sluice gate that can be opened or closed to control the flow

spigot (noun)

American a faucet on an outdoor water pipe

standpipe (noun)

an upright water pipe in a street that a faucet can be attached to so that people can get water from it when there is a problem with the supply to their houses

stop (verb)

to block something such as a pipe or hole so that water or another substance cannot go through it

stopcock (noun)

something on a pipe that you turn to stop or to start the flow of liquid

stop up ()

if a sink or bathtub stops up, water will not empty out because the pipes are full of something that should not be there

sump (noun)

a low open area in the ground that waste liquid flows into

tap (noun)

an object used for controlling how much liquid or gas comes out of a pipe or container

tap (noun)

British a faucet that controls the water coming out of a pipe